What businesses can learn from baseball

It’s baseball season! Even though the season has just started, you can already predict which teams will perform well this year.

It’s a fact in baseball that the teams with the strongest "farm systems" have the greatest level of success. In simple terms, the baseball teams that have the most talent in their organizations are the most likely to be a perennial pennant contender. They are recognized by their peers as a winning organization.

The same is true in business. The companies that have the deepest level of talent will have the greatest level of success. And, they build their depth in talent by building their talent management system (or, in baseball terms, their farm system). The companies that are building the strongest and deepest talent farm systems will be the winners in the short and long term.

A talent management system focuses on identifying, selecting, hiring, developing, training and retaining the talent required to deliver your strategy and plan. A talent management system is equal to the size of the organization. A smaller organization has a handful of talent processes (i.e. a thorough hiring process), and a larger organization has a comprehensive talent management system. So how do you go about building your farm system and talent depth across your organization?

» Start by using behavioral science for all your talent decisions. It allows you to make decisions based on objective information, not just subjective.

» Implement talent development at all levels of the organization. All employees should have at least one annual development action plan to help them improve their performance in their specific position. You also should have focused leadership development plans for current and future leaders in your company.

» Have a formal talent plan for each department that rolls up into the companywide talent plan that supports and delivers your company strategy.

» Conduct a Team Development Process within departments to proactively resolve challenges and increase the effectiveness of the team.

» Be a talent hawk by always looking for the best talent. A clear example of this is in the college drafts when you hear general managers say they take the best athlete, not necessarily their greatest need. That is another way of saying this athlete has the most talent.

» Use a proven selection process to hire the right person the first time.

» Have a talent “shepherd,” or one person who is responsible for implementing a companywide talent plan to care for and develop the talent within your organization that provides career paths and succession plans for employees.

There are numerous benefits to you in building a talent management or farm system in your organization:

» Sports coaches use the phrase “next man up” when there is an injury on the field. They have developed team members at all levels of the organization so when one team member gets hurt or leaves the team, they have developed a player right behind that person. As you grow, this same concept applies to your business.

» The return on investment in your talent which should be measured in every organization.

» You will dominate your industry when you build a farm system.

» You will create an employer of choice culture that is recognized for investing in your talent.

» Both your company and every employee will benefit from greater job satisfaction and higher performance.

» There are no surprises and or panic. When you experience a talent challenge you make an informed decision, adjust your plan and confidently move forward.

» There is peace of mind and confidence that comes with building a talent management system for your business.

So as the baseball season moves forward, you will see the teams with the strongest farm systems vie for the pennant. How strong is your farm system? Are you a perennial winner in your industry? Begin strengthening your farm system today by implementing the next appropriate talent management process into your organization. Let’s Play Ball!